


Sorry I’m Late

by 6121AU



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Car Accidents, Coffee, M/M, Marriage, Memory Loss, Psychopath, Strangers to Lovers, Tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-28 23:36:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20434364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/6121AU/pseuds/6121AU
Summary: Chanyeol didn't like coffee. Or waiting. Thankfully, Jongdae was there to help pass the time.





	Sorry I’m Late

Chanyeol hated the smell of coffee.

By the time he realised this, it was too late. He had already stepped into the coffee shop. The dark, nutty smell was so strong that it could knock his socks off.

His upper lip curled unstoppably. He sat down in a free table and waited.

Ever since he'd gotten in that car accident, his life had revolved around waiting. Waiting for his doctor. Waiting in the kitchen, eyes squinted shut, temples throbbing, as if he was about to sneeze. That everlasting feeling of reaching but not grasping — frustration. He would moan: a tiny bubble of a sound. Orgasm without the pleasure.

He had certainly changed since his accident.

He leaned back in his chair. His foot tapped restlessly.

His doctor made him carry around a tape recorder to record his thoughts. During their sessions, they would wind back the tape and listen. He would always be surprised at the things he said — psychotic things. Crazy things.

Together, they would listen to his mumblings: _My mother's an imposter… this woman's taken my mother and chopped her up out back and now she wants me to stay for dinner and I don't know what to do._

His head hurt. The smell of coffee didn't help.

And sometimes, he would forget things. It made everyone angry, which in turn made him angry too.

He was jolted out of his thoughts as the chair across from him squeaked. A small man sat down and waved over the waitress. He wore a deep brown scarf that matched his hair.

"Excuse me," Chanyeol said as politely as he could. "But I'm waiting for someone."

He looked over at him, eyebrows arched. Then he smiled. "I'll be out of your hair, soon."

"But-"

The waitress arrived, looking very smart and eager in her white shirt and black apron. "What can I get the two of you?"

"One latte with a shot of hazelnut and one hibiscus tea," the man ordered crisply, glancing up at the waitress.

Chanyeol regarded him suspiciously as the waitress hurried off. He was familiar with this place. When he looked at him, he quickly looked down. Chanyeol wished he brought something to read.

"I ordered for you," the man said. His hands were folded neatly on the table.

He looked up and frowned. "You didn't need to."

"Do you like hibiscus tea?" he asked tentatively, looking like he had hoped to please him.

"Better than coffee," Chanyeol grunted.

The man nodded.

"I'll pay," he added.

The man smiled. He noticed that he did that a lot. It made his face look nice. "So this is kind of like a date," he commented.

Chanyeol hadn't offered to pay for his. It was a misconception that he didn't bother to correct. It would have been rude to. "I'm waiting for someone," he told him purposefully.

"I'm waiting for someone, too," he nodded understandably.

This surprised him. "Then why are you sitting with me?"

"It's good to have some company while we're both waiting, isn't it?" He unwound the long brown scarf from his neck. He smiled at him again. "You looked like you really weren't enjoying yourself."

Their orders came on a round, black platter. The hibiscus smelled sweet and familiar, like a perfume he had once loved on someone. He paused, eyes squinted as if about to sneeze. His lips thinned in concentration. A small moan, but no release.

"Is something wrong?" His eyes looked especially wide over the rim of his latte.

"I'm trying to remember something," Chanyeol told him truthfully. His words had broken his concentration. He shrugged and sipped the tea.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

"It's a beautiful day outside," the man sighed. His face was reflected in the glass window of the shop.

"It is kind of nice," he nodded, looking outside, too. "If you're into that grey, misty weather type of thing."

"This kind of weather is a little grouchy, but it has its charms," he grinned, looking at him.

"It's a bad day for driving. Kind of foggy — bad visibility. All types of accidents happen in this weather." Chanyeol took another sip of tea. It made him feel better and forget that the person he was waiting for was very late.

"Spoken from experience?" the man asked conversationally.

He nodded. "I was in a car accident last year. It was pretty bad."

"I was in a car accident too, last year. A big one. My fiancé almost died in it."

Chanyeol raised his eyebrows. He felt oddly sulky at the mention of a fiancé. He wondered if they were still together. The man was rather handsome. "How is he now?"

He shrugged, taking a gulp of his latte. He breathed in deeply the scent of it. Chanyeol wondered how he could do that without throwing up. "He's neither here or nor there."

"I know how that feels."

He smiled. "I don't know how you can stand it. Sometimes, I feel like _I_ can't even stand him when he feels like that."

"It's nothing we can help," Chanyeol said, slightly defensive.

"Oh, I know that." The man set down his mostly empty cup. Absently, he ran his finger along the rim. "You know, we were supposed to get married this past summer."

"Winter weddings aren't bad, either," he said.

He looked up at him. "You really think so? Don't you think the winter weather's a bit… grey?"

"You said yourself the weather's beautiful today."

"But what do _you_ think?" he pressed.

"I think the weather doesn't have anything to do with the wedding, frankly. A wedding is about love. And a fiery downpour may be even better than a summer's day."

The man smiled, though he looked a bit sad. "Well, I think I'll wait until next summer anyways. He'll be better by then. I want the wedding to go smoothly. Wedding day only comes around once."

"Unless you get married a second time," he pointed out.

He finished his latte. "I don't think so. I really love this guy so I think I'll stick around."

"He's lucky to have you," Chanyeol told him sincerely. "Is he the one you're waiting for here?"

"Yeah," he nodded, then sighed softly. "But I don't think he's going to show up today." He pushed back his chair and stood, rewrapping his scarf around his neck. He brushed his hair away from his eyes as he said, "You promised to pay, right?"

Chanyeol hesitated, but nodded in the end. "Yeah, sure."

"Thanks." Smiling, he turned and walked out of the coffee shop. He watched his wavy brown hair move as he did. The bells on the door jingled.

There was a faint scent of hibiscus flowers. He finished his tea. After waiting five more minutes, he called for the check.

As he flipped open his wallet, he noticed a picture inside of a handsome brown haired man.

He squinted. Moan and release. Quickly, he put some money on the table and ran out to the street. There were some busy Christmas shoppers, but no sign of brown hair.

Finally, far down the street, he saw the smaller man.

"Jongdae!" he called, chasing after him. He used his elbows mercilessly to get through.

The man turned around.

Chanyeol paused to catch his breath, then leaned forward and kissed him. "Sorry I'm late."


End file.
